Document: Several Oakland fire inspectors lack proper certification

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Following the deadly Ghost Ship fire, Oakland fire inspectors have been determined to lack certification for inspections, according to a letter sent to personnel Thursday. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

OAKLAND — Several city fire inspectors lack the “minimum” certification requirements for their positions and must complete classes by next week or they could be fired, according to a letter obtained by this newspaper and a fire administrator.

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On April 27, co-Acting Fire Chief Darin White wrote to members of the embattled Fire Prevention Bureau that they must complete the training by May 12.

“City personnel records indicate that you do not currently possess an International Code Council Fire Inspector Certificate which is required by the City of Oakland classification specification (for fire inspector positions),” the letter begins. White cites the city’s requirements, which specify such training must be completed by the end of the worker’s nine-month probation period.

The employees have until next Friday to submit their valid certificate, otherwise they will not have completed the “minimum qualifications” for the position.

“Failure to maintain the minimum qualifications of one’s classification may be cause for discharge,” White concludes.

The letters were sent as a result of officials reviewing the job requirements, co-Acting Fire Chief Mark Hoffmann said Friday. The scramble to get inspectors compliant with the only certification requirement the city has for the job comes as Mayor Libby Schaaf vows to overhaul the unit and triple its size in the wake of two fires that have killed 40 people since December.

“I don’t intend to lose a single inspector,” said Hoffmann. “These are all seasoned inspectors who have good skill sets. We are going to try to get compliance. We are in violation of no laws or rules.”

It appears even Fire Marshal Miguel Trujillo received a letter, though he said he was certified in 2007. In an email late Friday, Trujillo said he “would be glad” to provide a copy.

“The Oakland Fire Department denied my request to pay for my renewal and therefore I had to pay out of pocket to have my ICC certification renewed,” he wrote. “I have obtained and maintained my certification for the past 10 years.”

Individual jurisdictions determine certification requirements for their fire departments’ civilian fire inspectors, a state fire marshal’s office spokeswoman said. There are no state mandates.

Still, Hoffmann said he wants the department to follow a training standard for inspectors.

The city is actively soliciting candidates for the new inspector positions with annual salaries ranging from $70,000 to $85,000. In those job postings, the city says it has an “urgent need” for inspectors and is looking for two years’ experience of journey-level fire code enforcement experience.

“Training is a critical part of our commitment to continuous improvement. That some members of the Fire Inspection Bureau do not have the current professional certification does not disqualify them from performing their duties and ensuring the safety of this community,” Assistant City Administrator Claudia Cappio said in a statement. “It is not uncommon for there to be changes in professional certifications. We will work with our labor and employee partners to ensure that there is proper notice and time for current employees to secure the appropriate certification.”

The Oakland Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau has taken criticism for a lackluster track record of inspections of buildings, hazardous materials and vegetation.

Following the March 27 fire that killed four people at a San Pablo Avenue halfway house, internal emails show firefighters repeatedly warned inspectors of dangerous conditions inside the three-story building, but no inspection was completed until three days before the fire. The records show confusion between firefighters and inspectors on how referrals should be properly made.

Matthias Gafni is a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group. He has reported and edited for Bay Area newspapers since he graduated from UC Davis, covering courts, crime, environment, science, child abuse, education, county and city government, and corruption. A Bay Area native, he loves his Warriors, Giants and 49ers. Send tips to 925-952-5026 or mgafni@bayareanewsgroup.com. Send him an encrypted text on Signal at 408-921-8719.

David DeBolt is a senior breaking news reporter for the San Jose Mercury News and the East Bay Times of Oakland. Over the past decade, DeBolt has covered the deadly San Bruno PG&E pipeline explosion, police and government corruption, California wildfires and Oakland City Hall. He was part of the East Bay Times staff honored with the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire.